A CHINESE electric vehicle company backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Foxconn Technology Group has hired a team of managers from BMW AG’s i subbrand, according to people familiar with the matter.

    Dirk Abendroth, Benoit Jacob and Henrik Wenders will join Future Mobility Corp. as vice presidents of software and connectivity, design and marketing, respectively, according to the sources.

    The executives will join Carsten Breitfeld, the former project manager for BMW’s i8 plug-in sports car hired to be Future Mobility’s chief executive officer.

    Future Mobility, which also counts dealership group China Harmony New Energy Auto Holding Ltd. as a shareholder, is one of several electric vehicle startups getting backed by technology companies in China.

    Chinese electric vehicle startups are driving competition for experienced auto industry executives and Silicon Valley talent as they seek to produce connected, highly automated vehicles.

    NextEV Inc., started by Chinese Internet entrepreneur William Li, appointed Padmasree Warrior, Cisco Systems Inc.’s former technology chief, to lead its U.S. operations. Faraday Future Inc., the electric car startup backed by billionaire Jia Yueting, hired Porter Harris from Space Exploration Technologies before he left to the company.

    Future Mobility will base research and development in Shenzhen, where it’s headquartered, and have research and development units in Europe and Silicon Valley to focus on powertrain and autonomous driving, respectively. (SD-Agencies)